TORONTO, May 8 /CNW/ - If money were no object, the most preferred
destination to send a loved one (mother, father, daughter, son) would be
Europe, according to a recent Ipsos Reid online survey conducted on behalf of
TD Canada Trust.
    These are some of the findings of the TD Canada Trust Visa Travel Poll
conducted by Ipsos Reid. The on-line omnibus poll, which explores perceptions
on Canadians travelling habits, was conducted between April 3 and April 5,
2007 among 1,000 adults aged 18 and older across Canada. Results based on a
sample size of 1000 are considered accurate to within +/- 3.1 percentage
points, 19 times out of 20.
    More than one in three Canadians (35%) choose Europe to send their loved
ones on a vacation. Australia and New Zealand are a strong second choice, with
the Caribbean coming in third.
    But with Mother's Day approaching, one can't rule out sending a loved one
to one of the coldest places on earth. One percent of respondents in Ontario,
British Columbia and Atlantic Canada choose Antarctica as a dream destination
for their next of kin.

    Regional Differences

    The Prairies have the most pronounced vacation 'travel bug'. Albertans
(92%), Manitobans (88%) and Saskatchewaners have the highest incidence of
leisure travelers, compared with the national average of 80%.
    Nationally, the favourite vacation pastime is visiting friends and
family, with 29% stating it is what they like to do best. In Quebec, however,
outdoor adventures (26%) and the all-inclusive resort experience (25%) top the
activity list. Quebecers are more likely to prefer visiting historical
landmarks (18%) when compared to other provinces (10%).
    In terms of paying for a dream vacation, Alberta leads the Big Spender
category, with one third saying they would pay more than $2000, compared to
Ontario and Quebec at 22%.
    Ontarians lead the pack at the other end of the price spectrum; with 35%
of respondents indicating they would pay less than $1,000 for a dream vacation
(7% would pay less than $500 and 28% would pay from $500 to under $1,000). The
national average for a vacation price tag under $1,000 is 30%. Quebecers and
Atlantic Canadians, at 9% each, lead in the "less than $500" category.
    Weekend excursions are very popular in Atlantic Canada. 23% say this was
the length of their most recent vacation trip, far above the national average
of 13%.
    "Despite some pronounced regional differences in spending patterns and
preferences for vacationing activities, the TD Visa Travel Poll clearly
demonstrates that Canadians are big fans of pleasure travel," says Jim Sallas,
Vice President, TD Visa. "Given our geography, it's no surprise that 'vacation
trip' and 'vacation dream' are two sides of the same coin."

    About Ipsos Reid

    Ipsos-Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's
leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities,
Ipsos-Reid employs more than 300 researcher professionals and support staff in
Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in
Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels.
Ipsos-Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are
staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific
backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada -
including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the
country - all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant
information. Ipsos-Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based
market research group. To learn more, visit www.ipsos.ca.

    About TD Bank Financial Group

    The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as
TD Bank Financial Group. TD Bank Financial Group serves more than 14 million
customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in key
financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking
including TD Canada Trust; Wealth Management including TD Waterhouse and an
investment in TD Ameritrade; Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities; and
U.S. Personal and Commercial Banking through TD Banknorth. TD Bank Financial
Group also ranks among the world's leading on-line financial services firms,
with more than 4.5 million on-line customers. TD Bank Financial Group had
CDN$408 billion in assets, as of January 31, 2007. The Toronto-Dominion Bank
trades on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges under the symbol "TD".

For further information: Jennifer Ross, NATIONAL Public Relations, (416)
848-1379, jross@national.ca